What is specialist support coordination?
Specialist support coordination is a higher level of support. The focus is on reducing complexity in the participant’s support environment and helping the participant overcome immediate and/or significant barriers in plan implementation.
Specialist support coordination helps participants:
- address complex barriers that affect their access to supports
- design a service plan for their support needs, where appropriate.
Who provides specialist support coordination?
Specialist support coordination is delivered by a specialist support coordinator. Specialist support coordinators should be appropriately qualified and experienced to deliver the expert approach which is needed to address a participant’s complex support needs and/or risks in their environment.
Further information about registering to provide specialist support coordination can be found on the NDIS National Quality and Safeguards Commission website .
Specialist support coordination activities
Address complex barriers
Specialist support coordinators should help overcome complex barriers that affect participants’ ability to access and maintain appropriate supports. They should work with participants, their families and carers to:
- identify and understand the barriers impacting the participant’s ability to access, use and maintain their supports
- find and try solutions to address these barriers
- establish a process to overcome these barriers, including prioritising factors that need to be addressed first and what supports need to be in place immediately.
Design a service plan for complex support needs, where appropriate
Sometimes a participant may need a service plan to address significant complexities in their life.
Specialist support coordinators should work with the participant, their families and carers to identify a broad network of a supports – funded or other supports – that can help the participant use their plan.
Specialist support coordinators should design a service plan which:
- ensures all services can work effectively and cohesively together to help a participant to pursue their goals
- establishes processes to enable communication, cooperation and collaboration within the participant’s network of funded and non-funded supports
- helps the participant, their family and carers to resolve issues and unexpected situations
- ensures a consistent delivery of service and access to relevant supports in a crisis or unplanned event.
Once a service plan is designed, a participant’s support coordinator can help the participant and their support network put the service plan into action.